March 4, 2008: Earth and Moon from Mars - Page 2

Slothboy · 03-05-2008, 01:07 PM

Interesting as well because it shows pretty clearly how odd our planet is in respect to relative size of our moon. Luna is nearly 1/4 the size of Earth and that is pretty unusual in our solar system. We would actually be considered a binary planet system except for the fact that the center of mass for our system is found inside Earth. If it was outside of our surface, we'd be a binary system.

Wow. I'm a nerd.

classicman · 03-05-2008, 03:26 PM

Ok - I'm dense - whaaaaattt???????

sweetwater · 03-05-2008, 09:24 PM

hi, Mom!

lumberjim · 03-05-2008, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicman

Ok - I'm dense - whaaaaattt???????

what he's saying is this:

picture 2 equal sized spheres orbiting each other. the center of mass is located at the middle of the space between them....the axis which they rotate around.

now, make one larger than the other. the center point moves toward the heavier sphere, because it's gravitational pull is stronger. At some point, that point is located inside the surface area of the larger sphere. That makes the large object a planet, and the other a moon. If that point was located 3 feet outside the surface of the earth, .....luna would be a sister planet, not a moon.

capice?

Gravdigr · 03-06-2008, 12:53 PM

classicman · 03-07-2008, 02:42 PM

Thanks Jimbo - got it! Now the real question is how that affects an airplane on the treadmill - huh smartypantz?

TheMercenary · 03-10-2008, 07:58 AM

03-05-2008, 01:07 PM	#16
Slothboy *No known superpowers. Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 48	Interesting as well because it shows pretty clearly how odd our planet is in respect to relative size of our moon. Luna is nearly 1/4 the size of Earth and that is pretty unusual in our solar system. We would actually be considered a binary planet system except for the fact that the center of mass for our system is found inside Earth. If it was outside of our surface, we'd be a binary system. Wow. I'm a nerd. __________________ Super perfundo on the early eve of your day.

03-05-2008, 03:26 PM	#17
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	Ok - I'm dense - whaaaaattt??????? __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

03-06-2008, 12:53 PM	#20
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	Attached Images

03-07-2008, 02:42 PM	#21
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	Thanks Jimbo - got it! Now the real question is how that affects an airplane on the treadmill - huh smartypantz? __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

03-10-2008, 07:58 AM	#22
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	__________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

03-05-2008, 09:24 PM	#18
sweetwater lives inside a Mobius strip Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,120	hi, Mom!

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